WHO Declares Hantavirus Outbreak on MV Hondius Over After Three Deaths

The World Health Organization declared the hantavirus outbreak linked to the cruise ship MV Hondius over on Thursday, after the virus killed three people. Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the final contact of a person exposed to the virus completed the quarantine period, tested negative and returned home. No further cases have been reported since 25 May.

It involved the Andes virus. The ship departed from Argentina on 1 April. The first two cases had travelled through Argentina, Chile and Uruguay on a bird-watching trip that included visits to sites where the rodent species known to carry the virus was present.

Health experts believe the virus may have passed between humans in close contact. More than 650 contacts were identified and followed up by authorities in 33 countries and territories. Passengers disembarked in Tenerife, Spain, in May and were flown home without medical evacuation.

Hantavirus typically spreads from rodents to humans through inhalation of air contaminated with virus particles from rodent urine, droppings or saliva. WHO medical officer Dr Diana Rojas Alvarez said Andes virus and other hantaviruses remain a public health risk for South America and some other endemic areas.

She added that continued monitoring of the virus and preparation for further spread are needed.